A/N: I'm not one to beg for reviews, but I can't get any better if I don't have feedback. I want to personally thank anyone that has reviewed so far. I really really appreciate it. I'm new at this writing thing and I want to make a quality story...so yeah. I'll stop ranting a bit. I also realize I forgot my disclaimer. I don't own anything you recognize, and honestly, if you want to steal my original characters I don't care that much. So on with the story. Let me know if you're having trouble following the plot. It's starting to get really complicated if it gets muddled let me know! (Again the feedback thing would be wonderful.)
Chapter 3: Preparing for the Inevitable
Glinda spent the entire day in her room feverishly trying to decipher the Grimmerie. Since the time Elphaba had left it to her charge Glinda had taught herself to read some of the more simple spells. The levitation, automation, and relaxation spells came in particularly handy with everyday life. What she was currently working on though was quite a bit more complex and frustrating.
"This is never going to work," She mumbled to herself copying and recopying the swirling text.
A maid entered the room silently placing a tea kettle and newspaper on the table. "Would you like anything else Miss Glinda?" The woman asked.
Glinda looked up, "No thank you Vera." The other woman turned to go, "Can you tell me what Madame Morrible has done with my schedule for today?" Glinda asked as casually as possible. She knew that it was a potential liability to be working in her room all day.
"Yes, Ma'am. She's been holding your meetings with the Gale Force. I just brought them tea at about twenty past." Vera always one for gossip added, "She sending them on some sort of combing mission. They are searching the entirety of Oz for something."
"The Gale Force," Glinda sighed, it would figure she'd get on the violent part right away.
"Anything else?"
"No Vera." Glinda went back to work. When the maid had been absent from the room for a few minutes, Glinda slammed the Grimmerie shut with frustration. This is taking too long, I need to find a way to get in contact with them. I can't do it if I don't know where they are, and how do I do it without alerting Morrible?!
She turned to read the daily news giving herself a small break from the spell. Scanning the headlines she saw that Morrible had already started to strengthen the animal banns that she'd abolished three months ago. Glinda knew most of her views were thought of as radical, the majority of Oz quietly disagreed with what she'd done. Glinda had depended on her ability to charm the masses that what she had done was a benefit to Oz. They'd bought it but not willingly. It wouldn't take long for Morrible to change public opinion back. Especially with her eloquence with the spoken and written word. Glinda put her head in her hands and finally the tears came. She wept feeling broken and lost.
&
Madame Morrible sat in a darkened study room. She was sipping on tea after dismissing the prime battalion of Gale Forcers on a search. A search not for Elphaba Thropp, but her child. The child was powerful, Morrible could sense the talent. After all that had been her specialty at Shiz, sniffing out new ability. There was something different about the small boy though. He was radiating magical energy much like his mother…much more than his mother. Morrible also knew that Elphaba possessed the Grimmerie another very significant tool of use to her. Morrible set her tea down on the table and relaxed trying to draw another vision into her mind. Just a hint at where the mother and child might be. She felt nothing.
&
Fiyero whistled happily to himself as he slung the pack over his shoulders and mounted the new horse. He was met with the pleasant surprise of having Ozian coinage in the rucksack where their Kansian money used to be. It turns out the Oz to Kansas exchange rate is quite good, for he could now afford to pay the kindly inn-keepers as well as afford food, clothing, and whatever else his new family might need. As he eased the horse into a gallop he tightened his cloak around his face and set off towards the inn.
&
In Fiyero's absence Elphaba had a large amount of time for introspection, for as of late all she'd been doing was sleeping. After waking from a nap and feeding Liir she settled in a chair by one of the windows gazing out into the afternoon sky. She was worried. She knew that Glinda was probably in eminent danger with the whole stunt that she pulled appointing Morrible. Why she did what she did, Elphaba didn't know. Call it intuition but something was terribly wrong. She felt the need to go and help her friend, but knew she had a more important responsibility as she gazed upon Liir sleeping on the bed.
Another thought whirring around in her head was the fact that she had had no visions or dreams for the past nine months. She still felt a small magical inclination, but it was never with the strength like before. She couldn't summon anything magical. She'd tried last night trying to assuage the pain of the labor and had failed. This frustrated her because she didn't know why she'd lost some of her power.
Liir was an entirely different story. She hadn't told Fiyero yet, but the baby radiated magical energy. When he cried it was like waves of pressure released from within him, and this worried Elphaba to no end. They could be easily found if someone or something could sense…it. As a tiny child she remembered being frightened of her power, and she didn't want the same for her son. Her and Fiyero living as outcasts, and for Liir to have the same fate hurt her to no end. It isn't fair. She bit her nails, a habit she found herself doing when she was extremely agitated.
Worst case scenarios played out in her mind, and this led to her doubting her abilities as a mother. She felt overwhelmed and couldn't distinguish if it was because of hormones, soon she was in tears not knowing why and hating herself for it. She sniffed and wiped her eyes internally chastising herself, don't' be such a damn blubber-buddy. With a huff she pressed her eyes shut settling her emotions and pulled herself out of her doom and gloom mode by inspecting some of the books on the shelf in the room. Picking one she sat down to read waiting and for Fiyero to return.
In a short while Liir let out a tiny mewl from the bed pulling her out of her reading to go check on him. She got ready to feed him, but he looked to still be asleep, in fact uncomfortably so. His little brow was furrowed and his fists were clenching and unclenching. His little mouth was drawn in a firm line almost frowning. It looked like he was having a nightmare. Puzzled at his discontent she gently laid her hand on his small tummy to comfort him. Fighting with herself to not wake him up, but not wanting him to experience whatever it was he was experiencing. She slowly rub soothing circles on his stomach. Raising her hand to his small forehead she slowly traced a finger across his brow.
She felt a jolt and soon was swallowed in a barrage of images, Glinda feverishly reading the Grimmerie, Madame Morrible looking at a map, the Gale Force trekking through a town, and finally, the empty castle of Kiamo Ko.
Elphaba started out of the vision and pulled her hand away when Fiyero opened the door, and Liir immediately awoke in a frenzy crying. She shook her head to clear it and turned to see Fiyero holding a few different travel bags and boxes.
"Fae where do you want our stuff?" He asked unable to see through his gigantic armful pausing then saying somewhat guiltily. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake the baby."
Elphaba willed her voice to the surface still a bit in shock at what their son had just accomplished. It was remarkably advanced magic. "It's uh…It's alright. Just put them out of the way in the corner for now." She watched him go about sorting through their supplies as she held Liir to him trying to calm him and slow her own heartbeat. She noted that Fiyero didn't buy much, only the necessities, and she was grateful for that. It was less that they had to hide.
"You wouldn't believe what happened," He continued as Elphaba finally got little Liir to quiet. Fiyero handed her and diaper and went back to sorting their things assuming that was why Liir was crying.
Elphaba rolled her eyes, If you only knew love. She fumbled trying to pin on the new piece of cloth, only half listening to what Fiyero was saying. Luckily Liir didn't mind that she was still new at this.
"All that Kansian money we had, well it converted itself to Ozian coinage. It was a nice surprise let me tell you." He smiled and held up two dresses for her to approve. She nodded and watched as he folded a few blankets and cloth diapers chatting away endlessly about his excursion.
"Yero? Could you stop a minute." He paused mid-fold and looked at her. His boyish excitement was enduring, but she was not in the mood for it right now.
"What's wrong?" He asked puzzled, Did I do something wrong, shit I probably got the wrong dress size. She had been increasingly more sensitive as her pregnancy progressed about how big she was getting.
Elphaba thought it would be best to just tell him quickly. "I really don't think anything is really wrong, but Liir, he, he has some powers," She paused, "Or something." She amended. "Really I'm not sure what just happened, but he was fussing a bit so I comforted him and then I had this vision that was really his and not mine…is this making sense?"
"Wait, what powers? You can tell already?" He was slightly relieved that he hadn't pissed her off and concerned that she was so concerned about Liir. Powers where powers, it didn't matter to him.
"I really don't know, but I can sense it with him."
"People can sense these things, and wait you had a vision?" He crossed the room and sat near her on the bed looking concerned.
"No, well, I mean I did, but it wasn't mine." She looked at Liir who was wide awake starring at her with eyes way wiser than any newborn should posses. "It was his."
"Hmm. Do you think Morrible knows where we are?" Fiyero looked puzzled and kept looking back and forth between the two. "What was this vision, I can tell your hiding something Fae." He looked at her sternly.
"I'm not hiding anything, I breaking it to you gently," She said indignantly, "I still don't even know what it means." She handed him Liir and began to pace the room. "I saw Glinda, Morrible, Gale Forcers, and Kiamo Ko. Morrible is using the Gale Force to find us. I know that much, but why I saw Glinda and Kiamo Ko I have no idea. And why Liir is the one seeing these things is beyond me. There is no way for Morrible to pinpoint where we are, at least I don't think." She added drawing a breath after talking so fast.
"So then is Kiamo Ko unsafe?"
"No I don't think. I don't know, but I'm sure that we need to move away from here quickly."
"I figured as much. Are you feeling well enough?"
"I think so; I'm really just a bit tired is all. Pain is only what the mind perceives as weakness anyway."
"So last night?" Fiyero teased gently.
"That my dear was agony." She clipped him on the back of the head. "I can't believe you!"
"I was just teasing," He pulled at her wrist with his free hand easing her to his side. Buttering her up he kissed her cheek warmly, "Would you be ready to leave tonight?"
She pulled away from him, "Yes. The sooner we start moving the better."
"It settled then."
They left in the dead of night. Margio and Donner both standing on the Inn's porch to see them off. The old couple had become strangely close with both Elphaba and Fiyero. They'd shared this experience with them and were sad to see the new family on their way.
"If you can come and visit." Margio asked gently rocking Liir as Fiyero and Elphaba packed the horse.
"Of course we will once everything is taken care of," Elphaba said approaching the older woman. She was not one to show her affection to anyone but her family. She patted Margio's hand. "I will be forever in debt to both of you. You've shown me so much kindness and compassion. Oz would be better off with more people like both of you." She smiled reaching for the slumbering baby and placing him inside the sling across her chest.
"You two be careful out there. I'd avoid the Yellowbrick." Donner said and cleared his throat. "It's a bit dodgy now-a-days."
Fiyero shook Donner's hand and kissed Margio's cheek, "I plan to take the back route. I wish I could tell you were we'll be, but you'll both be better off not knowing." He helped Elphaba settle onto the horse and joined her grabbing the reins.
"You kids take care now." Margio called.
Elphaba turned and waved, "We'll try. You do the same." With that they were off racing into the forest of the Quadling Kells.
"Ozspeed." The old couple whispered together watching the figures quickly disappear into the night.
&
Glinda found herself in the hotel room she witnessed in the mirror. She saw a pallid Elphaba holding a baby and Fiyero sorting through what looked like shopping bags.
"Elphie!" She cried urgently rushing towards the bed wanting to yell and scream and cry and warn her friend all at the same time. Her words went unnoticed though as the scene and conversation between her two friends played out before her.
"I really don't think anything is really wrong, but Liir, he, he has some powers, or something. Really I'm not sure what just happened, but he was fussing a bit so I comforted him and then I had this vision that was really his and not mine…is this making sense?"
"Wait, what powers? You can tell already?"
"I really don't know, but I can sense it with him."
"People can sense these things, and wait you had a vision?".
"No, well, I mean I did, but it wasn't mine. It was his."
"Hmm. Do you think Morrible knows where we are? What was this vision, I can tell your hiding something Fae."
"I'm not hiding anything, I breaking it to you gently, I still don't even know what it means."
Glinda followed Elphaba with her eyes as she paced. She could practically see Elphie's mind working, ticking off all the information given sorting through it with an ease only a brilliant person like Elphaba could do. "I saw Glinda, Morrible, Gale Forcers, and Kiamo Ko. Morrible is using the Gale Force to find us. I know that much, but why I saw Glinda and Kiamo Ko I have no idea. And why Liir is the one seeing these things is beyond me. There is no way for Morrible to pinpoint where we are, at least I don't think."
"So then is Kiamo Ko unsafe?"
"No I don't think. I don't know, but I'm sure that we need to move away from here quickly."
Glinda gently awoke rolling over to check the clock which read two o'clock. What an odd dream. She closed her eyes again willing herself back to sleep not realizing the importance of what had just happened.It was just a dream after all.